Thin sanitary napkin having protrusions

• US 7,754,940 B2
• Filed: 06/12/2003
• Issued: 07/13/2010
• Est. Priority Date: 06/12/2003
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: Johnson & Johnson
• Original Assignee: Johnson & Johnson
• Inventors: Brisebois, Henri, Lariviere, Christiane, Schoonen, Anthony, Canuel, Louis
• Primary Examiner(s): HAND, MELANIE JO
• Application Number:
  US10/460,003
• Publication Number:
  US 20040254556A1
• Time in Patent Office: 2,588 Days
• Field of Search: 604/385.01, 604/378, 604/380
• US Class Current: 604/380
• CPC Class Codes: A61F 13/47 Sanitary towels, incontinence pads or napkins A61F13/49 takes precedence
• CPC Class Codes: A61F 13/47218 with a raised crotch region, e.g. hump

Abstract

A sanitary absorbent article is disclosed which is intended to be worn against a pudendal region of a user. The sanitary absorbent article is thin, i.e. having a thickness equal to or less than 5 mm and comprises a body contacting surface with at least one protrusion on the body contacting surface. The protrusion has a height H of at least 0.5 mm, and an equivalent width W. The protrusion also includes a ratio W/H ranging from about 2 to about 10.

Claims

1. A sanitary absorbent article intended to be worn against a pudendal region of a user, said sanitary absorbent article having a thickness equal to or less than 5 mm, including a longitudinal centerline, and comprising:

a body contacting surface having a planar surface and a plurality of protrusions extending upwardly relative to said planar surface, wherein each of said protrusions has a height H and a width W;

wherein H is at least about 0.5 mm and a ratio of the width W to the height H is in a range from about 2 to about 10; and

wherein a first protrusion and a second protrusion of said plurality of protrusions each include portions that are structured and arranged to intersect each other and each of said first and second protrusions including at least a portion that is separated from the other one of said first and second protrusion by said planar surface, each of said first and second protrusions extending across said longitudinal centerline and running obliquely with respect to said longitudinal centerline.

2. A sanitary absorbent article as defined in claim 1, wherein each of said protrusions is formed from at least one layer of said sanitary absorbent article.

3. A sanitary absorbent article as defined in claim 2, wherein each of said protrusions defines a simply connected space.

4. A sanitary absorbent article as defined in claim 1, wherein said absorbent article includes:

a fluid pervious cover layer;

a liquid-impervious barrier layer; and

an absorbent system located between said fluid-pervious cover layer and said liquid -impervious barrier layer, said absorbent system including a transfer layer and an absorbent core layer.

5. A sanitary absorbent article as defined in claim 4, wherein portions of at least two layers of the sanitary absorbent article positioned adjacent one another extend upwardly from the planar surface to thereby form said plurality of protrusions.

6. A sanitary absorbent article as defined in claim 5, wherein said at least two layers include at least one layer selected from the set consisting of the fluid-pervious cover layer, the transfer layer and the absorbent core layer.

7. A sanitary absorbent article as defined in claim 5, wherein said at least two layers are immediately adjacent one another.

8. A sanitary absorbent article as defined in claim 5, wherein said at least two layers are selected from the set consisting of the fluid-pervious cover layer, the transfer layer, the absorbent core layer and the liquid-impervious barrier layer.

9. A sanitary absorbent article as defined in claim 5, comprising a recess delimited by an untreated lower component and an upper treated portion that includes a protrusion.

10. A sanitary absorbent article as defined in claim 9, wherein said untreated lower component is substantially planar.

11. A sanitary absorbent article as defined in claim 10, wherein said recess includes a filler material.

12. A sanitary absorbent article as defined in claim 11, wherein said filler material is selected from the set consisting of super absorbent polymer and odor control material.

13. A sanitary absorbent article as defined in claim 9, wherein said recess has an elongated shape and forms a channel.

14. A sanitary absorbent article as defined in claim 5, wherein said protrusions extend towards a longitudinal centerline of said main body.

15. A sanitary absorbent article as defined in claim 5, wherein said protrusions define a protrusions pattern that is symmetrical about at least one of an imaginary longitudinal centerline and an imaginary transverse centerline.

16. A sanitary absorbent article as defined in claim 5, wherein at least one of said protrusions has an elongated shape.

17. A sanitary absorbent article as defined in claim 16, wherein the at least one of said protrusions extends along at least one of said imaginary longitudinal centerline and said imaginary transverse centerline.

18. A sanitary absorbent article as defined in claim 16, comprising two protrusions that share a common boundary.

19. A sanitary absorbent article as defined in claim 1, wherein said protrusions have a height H of at least 0.7 mm.

20. A sanitary absorbent article as defined in claim 1, wherein said protrusions have a height H of at least 1.0 mm.

21. A sanitary absorbent article as defined in claim 1, wherein said protrusions have a height H of at least 1.5 mm.

22. A sanitary absorbent article as defined in claim 1, wherein said protrusions have a ratio W/H ranging from about 4 to about 8.

23. A sanitary absorbent article as defined in claim 1, wherein said protrusions have a ratio W/H ranging from about 5 to about 7.

24. A sanitary absorbent article as defined in claim 9, wherein said sanitary absorbent article has a thickness T and said treated component has a thickness U, the ratio U/T being of at least 0.2.

25. A sanitary absorbent article as defined in claim 9, wherein said sanitary absorbent article has a thickness T and said treated component has a thickness U, the ratio U/T being of at least 0.6.

26. A sanitary absorbent article as defined in claim 1, comprising:

a first component including at least two superposed layers of material, said first component including the body contacting surface and a second main surface opposite said body contacting surface;

said first component including a recess on said second main surface registering with said protrusion, said recess having a boundary;

a second component including at least one layer of material, said second component being under said first component;

said first and second components defining a spacing therebetween, wherein the spacing within the boundary of said recess is greater than the spacing outside the boundary of said recess.